Injury-hit Anakie still a chance to play a finals for the first time since 1998

A perennial GDFNL cellar dweller remains hopefully it can play finals for the first time since the late 1990s despite a number of key players on the sidelines.

Anakie players listen to coach Jayke Mawson at three-quarter time of the Round 9 win over Bell Post Hill. Picture: Meg Saultry

The finals flame continues to flick for an injury-hit Anakie but it will need a near spotless finish to the season to play in September.

Coach Jayke Mawson said his side had done well to remain in contention for its first senior finals campaign since 1998 despite bulk injuries, including captain Luke Dahlhaus (general soreness), Jesse Mawson (achilles), Michael Crossett (hamstring), Matt Dettman (hamstring), Robbie Milne (hamstring), Blayne Sharp (hamstring), Ben Long (ankle) and Mitch Gavin.

Meanwhile, Sean Sim (knee) is out for the remainder of the season while Josh Mawson had been unavailable due to work.

“Not ideal but we’ll get a fair few back after the bye hopefully,” Mawson said of the injury toll.

“We’ve had a fair few out, 13 or 14 ... so we’ve been hit pretty hard with injuries.

“But we’re pretty positive still, hoping to make finals.”

Anakie's Luke Dahlhaus, directing traffic against North Geelong, is expected to return against Geelong West. Picture: Alan Barber

The Roos enjoyed their strongest start to the GDFNL season since 2017, then winning four out of five games across May and June.

And their record against teams above them on the ladder is pretty strong, 3-3, with wins over the league leaders Belmont Lions, Bell Post Hill and Inverleigh.

It was the Roos’ first win over the Lions since June, 2019 and maiden victory against Inverleigh on its home deck in 18 years.

In seventh place on the GDFNL ladder and two wins off the Panthers in fifth position, the Roos will need to keep winning to pinch a finals place for the first time in 27 years.

While the Roos have had bulk injury issues, Mawson said his side knew it could match it with the best.

“We know we can beat the best ... Belmont on their home deck (for example),” he said.

“We also know if we don’t turn up we can get found out, especially with this league and how tight it is.

Dahlhaus at three-quarter time against Bell Post Hill. Picture: Meg Saultry

“We don’t fear any team but we also don’t go in thinking we’re going to win any game, on the weekend (against Corio) was the first time we lost a lot of KPIs around the contest against a side that we probably shouldn’t have.

“That was probably the first time I’ve been disappointed ... and they wanted it more.

“It’s been tough (with injury) but no excuses though, Corio should have beaten us by a bit more on the weekend.”

Corio remains the Roos’ bogey side, dropping games in Round 1 and last Saturday by a total of six points.

They also have the leakiest defence of the GDFNL’s top eight.

However, Mawson believes the standard of the league has improved, with more player buy-in, more structures and time put into coaching, while the bottom teams were finding new ways to attract talent and develop youth.

The Roos, aiming for its best finish to a season since a sixth place in 2011, now face Geelong West on Saturday — a side Mawson has a healthy respect for.

Down by 30 points at quarter time last time against the Giants in Round 3, the Roos would kick 8.6 to 2.2 after half time to get their first win of the season.

“I think that really spurred us on,” Mawson said.

Anakie coach Jayke Mawson. Picture: Alan Barber

“We needed to get a win on the board. If you look at their results, we rate them pretty highly, they set up really well structurally.

“To win that game the way that we did ... that got the ball rolling and built a bit of confidence in the players.”

Mawson has taken a lot of joy from taking on a perennial cellar dweller – their last senior flag was in 1994 – and finding some success.

“I guess that’s the good thing about coaching a side that’s been down the bottom for a while,” he said.

“Breaking records and changing the tune.

“We had a meeting last night, talking about what we wanted to get out of the last six weeks.

“Our best is good enough, our results show that, but if we don’t rock up you’re going to get found out, so it’s time to get the whips out and get cracking.”

Originally published as Injury-hit Anakie still a chance to play a finals for the first time since 1998